Strolling the Square and Rambling in the Ruelles

Posted on June 17, 2024 by Dale | 112 Comments

Saturday, I had to be in the Plateau Mont Royal area of Montreal, at the ITHQ (Institut de tourisme et d’hôtellerie du Québec, or Quebec Tourism and Hotellery School) on St. Denis Street for a 9:00 am exam. Since I work in the tourism industry, by law we have to have a certificate to be able to sell and create invoices for goods sold. I don’t really have to have it; I can just do the work and make the invoices in one of my colleagues’ name but honestly, I just wanted to be independent. My new boss encouraged me to get it and paid for it, so hey, I am officially certified (certifiable?) 🙂

Since I was in the area, I decided to take advantage of the sunny but cool day to stroll the ‘hood. It’s a happening and hip neighbourhood that was once home to the regular folk like my dad and his chums, way back in the 40’s and 50’s. Now? Let’s just say the price of rent or purchase is not for the faint of heart.

I was in the Carré St-Louis Square section of the Plateau. (Something I learned yesterday.) How had I never been in this square? Or realised I was?

Carré St-Louis

The houses are painted in pretty colours and are a delight for the eyes. And the staircases that Montreal is known for are fun to photograph, too. I was charmed no matter which direction I looked in.

Colourful houses

Lovely staircase

Ooops not here

Here’s okay

Whimsical

For the hell of it, I looked up one of the listings I saw for sale… A cool $1,298,500… Interested? Click here for the listing 😉 Apologies, I didn’t think of taking the full front view at the time.

I wandered around until I came upon this mural so of course, I have to share it for our Sorceress.

I was walking back on St-Denis towards my car when I decide to take a tour of one of the ruelles.

“Ruelle” is the French term for alley. In certain areas of Montreal they are more numerous and more than just a shortcut from one street to another. Some of them have driveways, which in these areas, is a blessing; some have beautiful graffiti art and some are garden oases, where one can simply stroll or not worry about letting the kids play. Many a hockey game has been played in these “backyards”.

Ana apparently has the best kitchen 🙂

The first alley was not the prettiest, but I found this sign tucked away in a back entrance to someone’s place.

I walked through that alley and then into a new one. But first a warning. No parking in the alley!

I decided to follow the cat…

What a delightful surprise I found. I shall apologise ahead of time for the number of images shared with you. I did withhold some, just so you know!

Once I had made my way through, I saw this little sign

Henri-Julien/Drolet Country Lane (alley)
Greening since 2000
Welcome
Thank you for helping us to keep it clean and peaceful

Hope you enjoyed this tour. I have another planned for you!

Stolen Moments

Posted on June 24, 2023 by Dale | 98 Comments

Part deux from last week’s post, that I wanted to do the next day but danged if I can organise my time…

“Stolen moments” create a feeling of enjoyment in our “intensive time” awareness. The glow and the intensity of those instants can guide us throughout a whole lifetime. They can expose a second or a third dimension of the daily events and shed an expounding light on all the little details we encounter. (“Stolen moments” )”
― Erik Pevernagie

The show ended some time around 3:30 ish. Julie had errands to run so we went our separate ways. Walking back towards my car, I took pictures of the former St-Jacques Cathedral, then the Montreal Arts Institute (part of UQAM – Université du Québec à Montréal – one of our four universities) and, as I turned towards my car, I looked back and captured the Notre-Dame-de-Lourdes Chapel. (My aunt always said Quebec was the province of “Miracles” 😉 ) We’ve got a slew of ’em!

St-Jacques Cathedral

Cool opening

Montreal Arts Instutute

Ooh.. what’s thatT

Notre-Dame-de-Lourdres Chapel

I was parked right in front of “Les Foufs” – Les Foufounes Électriques (which, translated, means The Electric Bums) – a wild venue where you can have a drink and take in some live shows (so NOT my genre, usually! Punk and Speed Metal and the like…) I shared the murals around this building before, back in September 2019. (I just went back to check because I didn’t want to repeat and whoa! They are COMPLETELY different!) If you want to see the then images, click here.

I didn’t give them that much attention because I figured I had already photographed them (not realizing it was totes diff!)

Front

Side

Back

Adjoining building

I got back to the front of Les Foufs and threw my umbrella into my car as it wasn’t raining anymore and made the decision to steal a moment for myself. I looked at the battery of my phone. Oy! Only 35%! Welp, so be it, I’ll walk and click until the battery dies. Maybe I’d actually make it to the Mural festival!

St. Laurent Blvd, also known as The Main, is a rather busy street so to close it to car traffic for ten days between Sherbrooke and Mount Royal streets is something else. I know it caused us some grief at work as some of our tours go along this very section.

The last day for the festival was the 18th (the next day) and I was not coming back into town on Sunday, so thank you weather gods for turning off the taps for an hour or so, enabling me to go take a look-see, sans needing an umbrella.

Walking through the gates, I had only fifty feet or so to find myself in front of the first (and only) stage where two artists were hard at work with some thumping LOUD music playing.

This was pretty cool – creaked by Junko, using 0ld Bixi bikes (the bicycles you can rent anywhere in Montreal).

There were no other exhibits per se, as far as I could see; only kiosks selling this or that. It felt more like a sidewalk sale than a mural festival, quite frankly.

I was discouraged until I spotted wild colour to my left. It was the opening of an alleyway. Oooohhhh! These are done by Benny Wilding

On one side

Facing the other

To the end

‘Round the corner

I kept on going and there was LOTS of art but most of it felt rather messy to me. I took many pics but I’ll not bore you with them because frankly, once I uploaded them, they felt meh. I took many, MANY pictures along a couple alleys (way more than I would have thought 35% would allow!) and feel I could easily overwhelm you – so I shall hold back and save some for another time!

But I’m not quite done, yet, though… I didn’t go all the way to the end of the mural festival because, why? It just felt like there wasn’t more to see, so I turned east a block or two, snapping these

Alex Scanner, St-Laurent. Now I have Spanish Train in my head

Kevin Ledo, Leonard Cohen, Napoleon Street

Rone, Such a beautiful face, St-Dominique St.

Egle Zvirblyte – 1st to finish during festival 2023, corner of Pine and Hotel de Ville

Thank goodness for Google Image Search which enabled me to give the proper credit to the murals I photographed! Not all of them had signatures that were easy to see.

As I made my way back towards my car, I was taken by the charm of so many of the row houses. There were no more murals at this point and I still had some juice!

My camera grew dim. I had 3% left but just before I reached my car, I spotted these pigeons. As promised, Willow, here is that white one I mentioned. I’m frankly surprised it turned out!

I had time to get home, take a shower and get all dolled up because Linda and I had a dinner date at Lulu for mussels and good wine and we decided to dress up because… Why not?

We had such a lovely time despite making a crappy choice in wine (thankfully, we were able to switch it out for something way more palatable); the warm chèvre on not-crunchy croutons was tasty but there needs be some crunch! I enjoyed it anyway because it tasted good. I then chose the Diable (Devil) mussels – and like the name implies, it was spicy, while Linda took the Indienne. My friend was rather underwhelmed by her meal. We figured they were hit as hard as many other restaurants, thanks to the pandammit.

I am so mad at myself for forgetting to take our usual selfie. We looked marvellous! You’ll have to trust me on that one.

Silent Sunday

Let Me Show You the Waze

Posted on March 3, 2023 by Dale | 100 Comments

I was watching Chicago Med the other day (what can I say? I enjoy the three Chicagos, Med, PD and especially Fire). Anyway, Dr. Crockett Marcel uses this AI O.R. 2.0. It is a very advanced way of doing surgery. The 2.0 is programmed to let you know when you can or cannot do something, give you best options, or even let you know if you are too tired to operate. They had this very weird scenario where, to save a hand until it can be reconnected (due to infection), they do what is called ectopic banking, which is basically to plant an amputated member onto another part of the body (in this case, the hand to the leg) to keep it properly perfused and prevent the member from dying until it can be reattached. The 2.0 has no record of how to do this but it can keep tabs on the perfusion.

After they successfully do this operation (of course), Crockett then chooses to use a regular OR for some other procedure. When asked why? He responds: “Do you ever go anywhere without using your GPS?” The person responds, “No, why should I? It’s there, might as well use it.” His answer to that is: “Well, I have the need to make sure I can still find my way without this type of technology.”

This brought me to a discussion with B about the very same thing. How once upon a time, I would have just looked up the road to take (or asked directions) and taken it. I could possibly hit construction detours, but hey, I would have figured it out in the end. Now? I use the damn thing to go to places I know off by heart! Why? Simply to see if there is traffic to avoid. It’s a good justification, right? Maybe…

Besides the traffic pitfalls to avoid (or the least painful ones), Waze (I choose over Google Maps) gives me some interesting routes. It rarely screws up, either.

I have used it almost every day since Monday, visiting my daughter at the clinic where she is recuperating from elective surgery. What you might not be able to see on the image at left is that where she is, is at the very top part of the island of Montreal. You see I have to cross one bridge, drive across and through to the other side. So far to the “top” that it is right beside one of the many bridges to cross over into the Island of Laval. There are a few options to cross but all depend on which way the traffic stalls. Ugh.

What does not help is visiting hours at the centre are from 2 pm to 8 pm. I figure most of her friends would only be able to visit after work so I leave the evenings for them (we can only visit one at a time, anyway).

Wednesday, I took pity on her and brought her a good pillow. I figured I’d get there for 2 and leave by 3:30, latest, getting just the beginning of traffic. HAH! Jokes on me.

Well now, while the drive took me almost an hour, it was a surprising and rather enjoyable one. Instead of sending me over to the Champlain bridge, or to the tunnel (which I avoid like the plague since they are redoing the damn thing), it took me to the Jacques-Cartier bridge. Hmmm. This meant going through boroughs and along streets I was not expecting (nor familiar with, at least not this far north).

It took everything in my power NOT to pull over and take a bunch of pictures. Though I will admit to taking quick pics at stop signs and stop lights… ahem.

I am determined, now, to take a day (I would have today but with yesterday’s snowfall? The street, and especially parking, will be hell.

See that slushy mess? And the ploughs pass when they do and you get snowed in. It’s gross and unpleasant. I shall see what the deal is shortly!

Now I just have to remember where I saw the following mural – taken through my dirty window while at a red light (I’m not that foolish!)

Maybe GPS is not so bad after all, eh?

For Our Lovely Sorceress, Resa

Posted on July 19, 2022 by Dale | 77 Comments

Little birdies know this that month is the one when our Sensational Sorceress of Silk, our Goddess of the Graffiti, our friend and fellow blogger was brought into the world. The exact date remains unknown so our little group made up of Gigi, from Rethinking Life, Beth from I didn’t have my glasses on…, Holly, from House of Heart and me decided that we would celebrate our friend today. Mid-month should keep us safe, right?

Resa brings nothing but joy to us all through her blogs Graffiti, Lux Art and More, as well as her impossibly beautiful gowns at Art Gowns. She has made us all gorgeous as her AGM models and created wondrous stories to go with her wonderful drawings.

She adds sparkle to the world and I could not think of any better image to represent her than fireworks!

My dear Sorceress, from me all of us, we wish you a most wonderful and happy birthday! (Not your AGMs, but hey, this is my bouquet to you!)

Lotsa love,

Thunder

xoxoxo💞💞💞💞💞xoxoxo

Tunnel Gift

Posted on October 10, 2021 by Dale | 127 Comments

I haven’t written anything since the FF two Wednesdays ago. I dunno what’s up… I was looking at my blog and found that I had twenty-one (yes, 21!) drafts! Seriously? I do this to myself like all. the. time. I start something, get side-tracked, go back, don’t feel it, put it aside and next thing I know the story is too old. I decided I’d do a clean-up but not before getting my steps in, which, being a non-running day, can prove difficult.

For those who don’t know it, I have challenged myself to do 10,000K steps per day for a whole year. 82 days left to completion! (And I cannot wait for that day to arrive without making time go any faster, if that makes any sense whatsoever.

I finally convinced myself that I could sacrifice an hour of my time (on a beautiful day, no less) to “git ‘er done”. I made the decision to walk towards a park that I thought was not too far. Right. Wasn’t too far by bicycle! No matter. I wanted a new path today because no matter how much joy I find in taking the same path over and over again and discovering something new, today was not that day.

I walk past the golf course and know that soon, I will be off this loud and noisy and dirty boulevard.

I see there is graffiti in the tunnel and decide to go take a closer look-see. This is where part of this post turned into an hommage to Resa’s Graffiti Lux Art & More blog. What a find! It started off with a quote that translates to mean: “Yesterdays follow me and ressemble me less and less”.

A lovely and colourful ’50’s style scene unfolds. The first frame feels like it doesn’t belong and was created by a totally different person. Or actually, like a commercial before the main event.

First one side:

And, then, the other side:

Truly amazing work. It took me three tries to film this without interruption from cyclists and golf cart drivers. It finally worked when I went backwards. Apologies for the movement. It’s hard to walk and hold a phone!

Time to keep moving as my destination was still a ways away. I went another block or so and turned onto a street, getting away from the boulevard. At the end of the street, I looked left and ta-dah! I could see the park. Two blocks away. Finally. I couldn’t find an entrance so I cut in, knowing I would eventually catch up with one of the many trails within. I chose one that is used for mountain bikes in summer and snowshoes in the winter (note to self: definitely must come back with snowshoes this winter). I had lost interest in exploring this park more fully (Michel-Chartrand) knowing I had a good trek back. I shall definitely return but will take my car to get there and give myself that two hours completely in the park instead of wasting most of it on a sidewalk.

FYI, I totally busted my goal, getting over 13K steps. Woot!

Redecorating – Crimson’s Creative Challenge #71

A little light-hearted take on Crispina’s excellent challenge. I played a bit by putting my picture first coz, well, I can and I felt it needed to be 😉 Plus, Crispina is so very generous and open-minded about these things…

Stay safe out there!

Redecorating

Querido, I was thinking of redecorating. This place needs a good paint job to go with this upgrade of yours, don’t you think? I mean, it’s great that you have built this wonderful porch with a roof so we can sit outside protected from both sun and rain. The colours are just so drab and the rust is coming through. It’s ugly.

What are you planning, Corazón? Any particular colour scheme in mind?

The other day I was taking a walk on the beach, I saw this little shed-like thing. That’s what I want!

Uhhh…. Seriously? A little garish, no?

The Walls Have It!

Posted on June 15, 2019 by Dale | 80 Comments

Yesterday I “regaled” you with my evening at the Montreal Symphony House on Tuesday and promised you another post on all the wonderful graffiti/wall art I encountered on my walkabout before the show.

Today is the day, folks! Now, I mentioned I had to let my inner Resa out because she is the Queen of Graffiti finds. Just check out her site right here. The only bummer was that I was not prepared for such a ‘happening’, so to speak, so I had no camera, just my phone – which, it turned out, was not so bad after all.

I mentioned that I had spotted one mural yesterday that I had to go back to see once I parked my car, and on my way east along Ste-Catherine Street – I did say we can walk right in the middle of the street in this part of the island and they have removed the asphalt and replace with lovely, bricks? or tiles? Whatever…

Ste-Catherine Street

Bright colour caught my eye on my right and I felt compelled to go investigate. It is a street but feels more like an alleyway – plus, as you can see, this one is a certain kind of colourful 😉

As you can see the sun (yay! the sun!!) was shining in such a way that it was difficult to capture properly. I kinda wish I had taken a few more but, one must be reasonable…

Stepping back onto Ste-Catherine Street, I realised I was right in front of Foufounes Électriques – or as we like to call it, Les Foufs (translation: Electric Buns (or Butt, or Tush or… you get it…). It’s a three-story bar/show venue. The times I’ve gone there, the show going on upstairs was lots of noise being enjoyed by peeps in all manners of tatts and piercings and hair of every imaginary colour. Not trying to say I’m too old for the joint… but maybe I’ll just stay downstairs at the bar. Or in the courtyard. I dunno know why I just took just a shot of the entrance to the courtyard and not more of it. How I roll. Don’t think, just do. Ah well. An excuse to go back, right?

I walk past Les Foufs and turn into the alleyway/street just east of the building, figuring I was getting closer to the aforementioned mural I wanted to capture.

Whoa. Along Les Foufs east wall, I found this:

Trying to get it all

Close-up of left

Under

Pressure

I turned around and the other building had this:

Trying to get it all

Right

I keep walking and get to the back wall of Les Foufs… Jeez Louise…

Trying to get it all

Creator?

What does this say?

And then, on the wall to the right, was this.

Is that a bright little neck of the woods, or what?

So, I end up at yesterday’s mural, take a few pics of which I shared that one yesterday and keep on walking. Well. Guess what? There was more!

Rub the lamp?

Cease Fire

A closer view

Feeling properly satisfied with my discoveries, I continue to make my way back and discover this bedazzled by mosaic balcony… who does that?

Shake my head, grinning, turn the corner. And.

Floating

Love the jellyfish

Wow. Can you believe all that art in less than one square mile?

I was practically skipping my way back to Ste-Catherine Street to find me some grub.

Our Hydro-Quebec is one of the sponsors of the “Quartier des Spectacles” (Entertainment or Performance Quarter) and has these whimsical statues, if you will, placed here and there. How fun (never mind just how much it costs me per month in hydro bills…)